Chin-rest and shoulder-pad support.



PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

Nol 850,776.

J. J. MORRISSEY. i GHIN REST AND SHOULDER PAD SUPPORT.

APPLIUATION FILED OGTJz.` 1906.

cal, wnsnmsyou, vA c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MORRISSEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO PHILIP H. ROSE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CHlN-REST AND SHOULDER-PAD SUPPORT.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filed October 6, 1906. Serial No. 337,732.

To @ZZ La7/wm, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOI-IN J. Monnlssnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chin-Rests and Shoulder-Fad Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to chin-rest and shoulder-pad supports for violins, violas, and like instruments, and has for its object to provide an adjustable clamping device by which the chin-rest may be readily attached to the instrument and firmly held in position thereon and also as readily detached from the same.

The device is arranged to be locked onto the instrument by the action of a revoluble cam, and the opening between the grippingjaws may be nicely adjusted to accommodate themselves to instruments of different thicknesses, said adjustment being accomplished by a4 screw action, and a feature of my present construction is that this adjusting mechanism may be operated and set from the outside of the device while the same is in position on the instrument. The device is also provided with means whereby a shoulder pad or cushion may be detachably held thereto.

This invention is fully set forth in this specification and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l isA a front elevation of the device, showing a portion of the violin and illustrating the clamping device on the instrument supporting the chin-rest and shoulder-pad. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shoulder-pad-supporting wire. Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the members of the clamping device, showing the ends of the tubular portions into which the forked ends of the pad-support fit. Fig. 5 is a rear or inside view of the adjustable clamping device, showing the rotatable cam for drawing the two members together, the stop-plate, and the adjusting-screw, the portion on which the chin rests having been removed. Fig. 6 is an enlarged central transverse sectional view showing the device in side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the lower clamping member. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the cam member in detail. Fig. 9 is a rear view of the cam member. Fig. l0 is a face view of said cam member, showing the cam or eccentric portion. Fig. ll is a detail of the strap that engages the eccentric. Fig. l2 is a detail showing the stop-plate.

R ferring to the drawings, at l is a portion of the violin-body to which the chin-rest 2 and shoulder-pad 3' are attached by means of the clamping device. The said clamping device is constructed of two plates, one sliding within the other. The outer or main plate 4 is provided at its upper end with a flange 5, to which is secured the chin-rest 2, preferably by means of screws through the screw-holes 6 6 through said flange 5. (See Fig. 4.) The center portion of this plate is carried slightly inward, forming a channel throughout the length of the same, the edges being turned back nearly upon themselves, forming a groove 7 7 on either side of the plate, in which the inner clamping-plate S may slide. Secured to this channeled plate are two tubular members 9 9, running longitudinally therewith, which are adapted to receive the forked ends of the pad-support hereinafter described. The edges 10 l0 of the clamping-plate 8 are adapted to slide in the said groove 7 in the main plate 4. The center portion of said clamping-plate is also carried inward, forming a channel to lit into and correspond with that of the main plate 4. The stock at the upper edge of this inner clamping member is cut away at 13a to clear the cam-plate, and a portion of this member is punched inward and raised, forming a lip or lug 12, which is pierced at 13. The lower end of this clamping-plate is turned outward, forming a lip 14, that is adapted to engage the under side of the violin when the complete device is clamped ,to the instrument. In order to operate this inner clamping member and draw it upward to grip the body of the violin, I have provided a notched or knurled hand-wheel l5, the edges of which extend slightly beyond the sides of the clamping device, so that they may be engaged by the thumb and finger in operating the clamping mechanism. Connected to and extending inward from the center of this knurledwheel is the shaft 16, which is preferably made square and to which is secured the IOO cam member 17 and the stop-plate 21, dej tails of which cam are best shown in Figs. 8, i' 9, and 10. rl`he outer face of this cam mem ber is formed into the eccentric 1S, (see Fig. 10,) which eccentric portion is engaged by the eccentric strap 19. (See Fig. 11,) The l lower end of this strap 19 is provided with a collar 19a, which is adapted to engage and be secured to the adjusting-rod 20. This rod is threaded and extends downward through the pierced hole 13 in the lug 12 and has a knurled nut 22 threaded onto its end below the said lug 12. `When the lobe of the cam is in the up position, the jaws of the device are the nearest together and the lip 23 of the stop-plate 21 brings up against the upper end 24 of the rod 20, limiting its movement in this direction, and when the lobe of the cam is down, bringing the jaws into their extended position, the lip 25 of the stop-plate brings up against the opposite side of the end of said rod and prevents a further movement in that direction.

The extent of opening between the jaws may be nicely adjusted and regulated to accommodate the device to instruments of different thicknesses by simply rotating the little thumb-nut 22 on the threaded rod 20, thereby opening or closing the space between the gripping-jaws independent of the locking means. lt may also be noted that the edge of this adjusting thumb-nut 22 extends through the opening 26 in the inner gripping-plate, whereby this nut may be operated and set from the outside when the device is in position on the instrument.

The shoulder-pad is made in the form of a circular cushion 3, that is provided with a stiffened cap 27. To this cap is secured the coiinecting-ngers 28 28, which are preferably constructed of a piece of wire, the body of which is bent into substantially a circular form to extend around the cap and then project outward with its free ends turned up at right angles from the said body portion of the wire, as illustrated in Fig. 3, said ends being stiffened and supported by being bound. together by means of the bridge-piece 30. The said forked ends of this padsupport are adapted to be pressed into the said two tubular portions 9 9 in the main plate of the supporting device and by their natural springy tendency are held firmly therein by friction, the two prongs of the forli securely holding the pad against side motion. The pad thus constructed is possessed of some flexibility, which is quite an essential feature in a device of this character that is held by pressure of the face while the arms are moving rapidly.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device ofthe character described comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an enj gaging jaw on each of said members, an instrument to which said device may be attached, a cam pivotally held in said main member, means on the outside of said main member by which said cam may be rotated, and a connection between said cam and the sliding member whereby when said cam is rotated the said clamping-jaws are moved either toward or from each other to grip or release the instrument.

2. A device of the character described comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to move on said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said members, locking means including a rotatable cam supported in said main member whereby the clamping-jaws may be moved either toward or from each other, means whereby said cam may be rotated, an instrument to which the device may be attached, and an adjustingnut extending through the wall of the clamping member for regulating the distance between said jaws with a movement indepen dent of that imparted by the locking means while the device is in. position on said instrument.

3. A device of the character described comrising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging aw on each of said members, a cam pivotally held in said. main member, means on the outside of said main member by which said cam may be rotated., an instrument to which the device may be attached, a camstrap on said cam and a coimeeting-rod. between said strap and the sliding member whereby the rotation of said cam causes said. clamping-jaws to move either toward or from each other to grip or release the instrument.

Ll. A device of the character described comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an instrument to which the device may be attached, a shaft, a cam and a stop-plate mounted on said shaft, and means also mounted on said shaft whereby said cam may be rotated to move the jaws toward or away from each other to grip or release the instrument.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said members, an instrument to which the device may be attached, a shaft, a cam and stop-plate mounted on said shaft, means whereby said cam may be rotated, a strap engaging said cam and an adjustable connection between said strap and the sliding member through which connection the rotation of said cam moves the clamping-jaws to grip or release the instrument.

6. A device of the character described comprising a main member, a clamping member lOO IIO

adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said members, a cam pivotally held in said main member, a wheel on the outside of said main member by which said cam is rotated, an instrument to which said device may be attached, a cam-strap on said cam and a connecting-rod between. said strap and the sliding member whereby the rotation of said cam causes said clamping jaws to move either toward or from each other to grip or release the instrument.

7. A device of the character described comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said members, an instrument to which said device may be attached, a shaft in said main member, a cam and a stop-plate mounted on said shaft, an actuating-wheel also mounted on said shaft by which said cam may be rotated., a strap engaging said cam, and anv adjustable connection between said strap and the sliding member through which connection the rotating of said. cam causes the clamping-j aws to move either toward or from each other to grip or release the instrument.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said members, a cam pivotally held in said main member, means for rotating said cam, a stop-plate for limiting the movement of said cam, a threaded connectingrod between said cam and the sliding meml ber whereby when said cam is rotated the said clamping-jaws are moved either toward or from each other, an adjusting-nut on said threaded rod, an instrument to which the device may be attached, said nut being adapted to be rotated to adjust the jaws with a movement independent of that of the locking means when the device is in position on said instrument.

9. A device of the character described comprising a main member, a clamping member adapted to slide in said main member, an engaging jaw on each of said. members, an instrument to which the device may be attached, a shaft in said main member, a cam and a stop-plate mounted on said shaft, actuating means by which said cam may be rotated, a threaded connecting-rod between said strap and the sliding member whereby the rotating of said cam causes the clamping'- jaws to move either toward or from each other to grip or release the instrument, a raised ear in said clamping member through which said rod passes, an adjusting-nut on said threaded rod resting on the under side of said ear, and said clamping member being also provided with an aperture through which said nut may be actuated..

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. MORRISSEY.

Vitnesses HOWARD E. BARLOw, E. I. OGDEN. 

